Foot powder applicator



United States Patent [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,248,303 7/1941 Morgenroth et al. 128/157 2,840,080 6/1958 Clark 128/260 3,384,083 5/1968 Cozza et a1. 128/260 Primary Examiner-Adele M. Eager Att0mey-Fulwider, Patton, Rieber, Lee & Utecht ABSTRACT: A foot powder applicator comprising a plastic package formed in the shape of an oversized sock. The package includes a quantity of foot powder therein and is openable on its top end for insertion of the users foot. Thus, the applicator may be utilized to package foot powder and may be opened for application of the powder. The user's foot is inserted in the open package and the upper portion thereof clasped to hold it around the ankle, and the foot shaken to apply powder uniformly thereto.

PATENTED DEBZQ 19m INVENTOR. gnaw/0P UPTON J TOIQNEYS FOOT POWDER APPLIC ATOR BACKGROUNDQOF'THE INVENTION 1. Field of the invention The present invention relates generally to foot-powder applicators and more particularly to a foot-powder applicator which also serves as a package.

2. Description of Prior Art It has been common practice to provide foot-powder containers which include perforated dispensing heads and/or spray means. Also, protective socks have been proposed for being worn by a patient after application of ointment or medication. However, there are no' prior art foot-powder applicators known to applicant which include a flexible container in which the foot-powder is packaged for sale and which may be opened on its top end and the users foot inserted therein to utilize such container forapplying foot-powder directly to the foot. I l

SUMMARY or THE INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a perspective view of a foot-powder applicator embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, in reduced scale, of the applicator shown in FIG. I during application of powder; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, in reduced scale, of the applicator shown in FIG. l'beingremoved from a protective box.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The foot-powder applicator shown in the preferred embodiment includes a plastic'packa'ge 11 formed in the shape of an oversized sock and including a foot-receiving portion 13 and an ankle-receiving portion I5..The package 11 may be made from one piece of thin plastic which is folded back on itself and adhered at its marginal edges to form a heat-seal 17 extending downwardly at the front edge of the leg-receiving portion and along the top of the instep of the foot-receiving portion 13. Also, the plastic forming the package is adhered together at its lower marginal'edges to form a heat-seal 19 extending longitudinally beneath the foot-receiving portion 13.

A quantity of foot-powder 23 is included in the bottom of the foot-receiving section 13 and the upper extremities of the side of the leg-receiving portion 15 is collapsed together and sealed at 25. The lower extremity of the seal 25 is formed with a transverse crease 27 which forms a weakened line for convenient opening of the package ll.

Preferably the package 11 will be folded into a compact unit and housed in a box 31 (FIG. 4) for display on drugstore shelves and the like. I

As described above, the package ll is folded into a compact unit and received within the box 31 and will be removed therefrom for application of the foot-powder 23. After removal from the package 31, the package 11 will be unfolded and the upper extremity 25 removed by tearing along the crease 27. The user will then grasp the upper extremity of the package 11 and hold the leg-receiving portion 15 open for insertion of the foot 33 into the foot-receiving portion 13. The leg-receiving portion 15 is then clasped and squeezed against the user's leg 35 to revent escape of the powder 23 while the foot 33 IS shaken. y merely sha oot 33 three or four mg the times, the powder 23 will be applied uniformly to all surfaces of the foot 33, including the bottom, sides, top, back. and between the toes. Experience has proven that such a procedure will normally provide application of the proper amount of foot-powder 23 but if the foot is a little moist an excessive amount of powder may adhere thereto. Such excessive powder may be removed by merely brushing the package 11 inwardly against the surface of the foot 33 to cause the excess powder to fall downwardly into the bottom of the package 11, thus avoiding direct hand contact with the powder. Consequently, convenient, rapidand effective application of the powder 23 is accomplished without messy sprinkling, spraying, or waste of powder.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the foot-powder applicatorof present invention provides a convenient means for packaging foot-powder for sale and also for application of such powder. The combination package and applicator is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and will provide for proper application of powder in a rapid and efficient manner thereby encouraging use of foot-powder and preventing waste of the powder. The package may conveniently be made sufficiently large to enable all persons, from the smallest child to the biggest athlete, to utilize a common size without the necessity of providing numerous differently sized packages. Further, after use the package can be conveniently folded over on its top end to form a seal and then folded to form a compact package for packing in a suitcase or storing in a dressing locker.

Various modifications and changes may be made with regard to the foregoing detailed description without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A combination package and foot-powder applicator for treating a patients foot, said applicator comprising:

an elongated nonporous package formed in its bottom portion with a foot-receiving portion for loosely receiving said foot and in its upper portion with a leg-receiving portion for overfitting said patients ankle, said leg-receiving portion terminating in its top end with an inlet;

a quantity of loose foot-powder disposed in said package;

and

sealing means for sealing said inlet to retain said powder in said package whereby said foot-powder may be packaged in said package and when said foot is to be treated said package may be opened on its top end and said foot inserted into said foot-receiving portion and said leg-receiving portion closed around said ankle and said foot shaken to disperse said foot-powder throughout said relatively loose fitting foot portion for thorough application to said foot while said leg portion is tightly clasped around said ankle to hold said loose foot-powder captive in said package.

2. A foot-powder applicator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said package is made of plastic.

3. A foot-powder applicator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said package includes a weakened crease across its upper extremity.

4. A foot-powder applicator as set forth in claim 1 that includes a box for receiving said package.

5. A foot-powder applicator as set forth in claim I wherein said package is formed in the shape of an oversized stocking. 

